Set a Table Full of Boos and AHHHHS

There’s no better time than Halloween to pull out all the stops when it comesto having fun with food. We have some clever, cheesy ideas for you thattaste as good as they look. And don’t be scared—they’re easy, too!

Asiago Bat Crackers

MAKES 3 DOZEN CRACKERS

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 6 ounces BelGioioso Asiago cheese, grated (2 cups) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2-3 tablespoons ice water

DIRECTIONS:

Place the flour, paprika, salt and cayenne pepper in a food processor; cover and pulse until blended. Add asiago and butter; cover and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough just holds together when pinched. Divide dough in half. Shape into two disks; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375˚F. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut with a floured bat-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Poke two holes for eyes into each bat, using a wooden skewer. Refrigerate on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store crackers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Jalapeno Popper Mummies

MAKES 2 DOZEN

INGREDIENTS:

12 medium jalapeño peppers 1 package (8 ounces) Crystal Farms Cream Cheese, softened 7 ounces Kindred Creamery Ghost Pepper Colby Jack cheese, shredded (1 3/4 cups) 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent dough sheet or rolls 1 egg, lightly beaten 48 candy eyeballs

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400°F. Line a 17 x 12-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes. Beat the cream cheese, colby jack and bacon in a large bowl. Pipe or spoon a heaping tablespoonful of cream cheese mixture into each pepper half.

Unroll the crescent roll dough into a rectangle; place on parchment paper. (Press to seal perforations, if using crescent rolls.) Cut dough lengthwise into 24 strips, each about 1/4-inch thick. Wrap each jalapeño half with one strip, leaving space near the stem for eyes. Place 2 inches apart on prepared pan. Brush dough with egg wash. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Remove from the oven. Press 2 eyeballs onto each popper. Serve immediately.

Candy Corn Cheese Picks

MAKES 12 PICKS

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces Hook's Muenster cheese 8 ounces Shullsburg Creamery Cheddar cheese 8 ounces Clock Shadow Creamery Queso Menonita cheese 12 toothpicks

The finishing touch on any Halloween spread is a ghoulishly good cocktail.

Purple Potion

MAKES 1 DRINK

INGREDIENTS:

1 ounce vodka 1 ounce blue curacao 1 ounce sweet and sour mix 2 ounces cranberry juice 1/2 ounce grenadine syrup

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until blended. Pour into glass or beaker.

Mini Pumpkin Cheeseballs

MAKES 2 DOZEN PUMPKINS

INGREDIENTS:

1 container (14 ounces) Bucky Badger Creamy Garlic Cold Pack cheese 1/2 package (4 ounces) Crystal Farms Cream Cheese, softened 4 ounces Shullsburg Creamery Mild Cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) 2 cups finely crushed cheese puffsPretzel stick piecesFlat leaf parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

Beat creamy garlic cheese and cream cheese in a medium bowl until blended. Add cheddar; mix well. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes.

Place crushed cheese puffs in a shallow bowl. Scoop or spoon tablespoonfuls of cheese mixture onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Shape cheese mixture into balls; roll balls in cheese puffs to coat. Insert pretzels for pumpkin stems; place parsley for leaves.